Tennessee Highway Safety Office Announces New Seat Belt Convincers for Community Outreach, Traffic Safety Education Statewide

On Monday, Sept. 29, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, joined the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police (TACP) at Nashville Auto-Diesel College (NADC) for a “Seat Belts Save Lives” event to showcase the THSO’s four new seat belt convincers purchased through THSO grant funds to be utilized for community outreach. The THSO will now have eight seat belt convincers to utilize statewide, expanding opportunities for traffic safety education.

“It’s been proven that seat belts save lives,” said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. “Your seat belt is the most effective safety device in your vehicle, reducing your risk of fatal injury by 50 percent, and critical for preventing occupant ejection from the vehicle. Seat belt convincers are an excellent educational tool providing first hand experience that is more compelling than just stating facts and statistics to teach students the importance of seat belts.”

A seat belt convincer is a device that simulates the impact of a 5 to 7 mph crash, showing the benefits of wearing a seat belt even during a low-impact collision. The THSO provides seat belt convincers as a helpful resource for police departments, local sheriffs’ offices, schools, and organizations to utilize for student engagement. Students of NADC participated in the “Seat Belts Save Lives” event on Sept. 29 to help demonstrate the effectiveness of this educational tool.

“At NADC, safety is at the core of preparing our students for success both on the road and in their careers,” said NADC Vice President Brent Jenkins. “We’re proud to partner with the THSO to demonstrate in such a powerful way that seat belts truly save lives. Today’s event is about more than education—it’s about building habits that protect families and communities across Tennessee and making sure that all our students get home safely.”

The THSO purchased its original four seat belt convincers in 2015. Since then, over 200 unique agencies, schools, or organizations have utilized these seat belt convincers for community events over 650 times. During the “Seat Belts Save Lives” event, the TACP shared support for the students of NADC to encourage community buy-in and help spread awareness.

“The TACP is a long-time partner of the THSO with a shared mission to save lives,” said Springfield Police Chief Jason Head, 2nd Vice President for the TACP. “Local police across Tennessee are heavily invested in their communities and dedicated to increasing traffic safety education and promoting safe driving habits. Springfield Police Department is one of many agencies who utilize the seat belt convincers as a resource to engage teenagers and young adults to prepare them for the roadway. We appreciate the opportunity to support the students of NADC and encourage the public to support our youth, as well. Remind your loved ones to buckle up every trip, every time. The more we care for our local communities, the more lives will be saved.”

According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network, last year, there were 309 fatalities statewide involving drivers or passengers who didn’t wear their seat belts. This represents 37.8 percent of total traffic fatalities in 2024.

For more information about seat belt safety, or to request a seat belt convincer for your upcoming event, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org/seat-belts.